Divine warriors empowered by their unwavering faith. Zealots channel divine energy to smite enemies and protect allies.

Hit Die

D6

Class Features

Level 1

  • Divine spellcasting
  • Channel Divinity
  • Medium armor proficiency

Weapon Training

Zealot weapon training is limited. Select two from: Battleaxe, Bill, Broadsword, Cat o nine tails, Club, Falchion, Flail, Great hammer, Great club, Great Axe, Greatsword, Guisarme, Hammer (Large), Mace, Scimitar, Scythe, Sickle, Sling, Shield, Spear, Warhammer.

The selected weapons are trained. When wielding a trained weapon, the Zealot gains +1 to hit and increases that weapon's base damage step by 1. If Shield is selected, the Zealot gains +1 to deflects when using a shield.

The Zealot is proficient with the weapons not selected from that list. These attacks have no penalty and deal normal damage.

Attacks with all other weapons are untrained: -1 to hit and provoke threat.

Training CategoryWeaponsAttack ModifierDamageOther
TrainedTwo selected Zealot weapons+1 to hitBase damage step +1Shield grants +1 to shield deflects
ProficientThe unselected Zealot weapon-training optionsNo penaltyNormal damageNone
UntrainedAll other weapons-1 to hitNormal damageProvokes threat

Free Weapon Mastery

On levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36, Zealots gain a free Weapon Master ability or rank, and may select one additional weapon from the Zealot weapon-training list to become trained in.

This free increase may rank up an existing weapon mastery, provided the Zealot meets the requirements and has not just gained or already levelled that same mastery on that level. If no existing weapon mastery is ranked, the Zealot gains a new weapon mastery at rank 1.

Armour Proficiency

Zealots gain Light Armour Proficiency rank 1 and Medium Armour Proficiency rank 1 as free class abilities at 1st level.

Casting vardaan while wearing armour has a chance to go awry. Light and medium armour proficiency reduce the awry chance for those armour types.

Check Bonuses

On 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, the Zealot can allocate 1 additional bonus to a check. This cannot be allocated to their best check, and cannot be allocated to a check they have already improved.

Taint

At 16th level, if the Zealot is killed, the creature that strikes the killing blow must make a MAG check or gain D20 taint.

Divine Magic

Zealots are versatile magic wielders with healing, blessings, single-target conditions, defensive magic, radiant magic, and spectral magic.

Their magic is called vardaan, which they invoke and cantillate. Invoking vardaan requires loud chanting and gesticulations as the Zealot proclaims their god's power.

Aspects

Each vardaan has two aspects, such as Elemental or Protection. When creating a Zealot, choose the tenets of their faith as aspects. These choices cannot be changed. A Zealot cannot invoke vardaan from aspects they have not selected. If the Zealot has at least one of the aspects a vardaan requires, they may invoke it.

A 1st level Zealot chooses up to 4 major aspects and 2 minor aspects. Major aspects allow vardaan up to Zealot level. Minor aspects allow vardaan up to half Zealot level, but the Zealot must still maintain the taboos of those minor aspects.

The Zealot may choose fewer aspects, but for every 2 major aspects they must choose 1 minor aspect. The Devout ability can grant more aspects.

Once the Zealot has the required level and a required aspect, they know all vardaan of that aspect up to their current allowable level. The number next to a vardaan is the minimum level required to know it.

Some gods or beings are more restrictive. Instead of aspects, such a god may grant a fixed spell list. This list is fixed and invariable, though different avatars of the same god may have different lists.

AspectDrawback or Taboo
DivinationMust speak expansively or cryptically, never concise direct answers. Must sacrifice, give libations, and read entrails, tea leaves, tarot cards, or similar omens.
ElementalMust strive to redress elemental imbalance while being compelled toward a favoured element. If able to interact with or collect the element, do so.
FaithChants mantras while moving. Will not insult or abuse another.
PeaceWill not refuse a peaceful request to heal. Will only wear light or no armour.
NatureWill only wear natural armour made from something that once grew, such as leather, hide, or crystal. Seeks to destroy undead unless they protect nature.
JudgementWill not use slashing weapons. Will not knowingly lie.
PactWill always keep their word. An injury from iron causes sickened for 1 round; steel allows a CON check to resist.
ProtectionWill not use a two-handed weapon or a weapon in both hands. Cannot refuse requests for help, but may prioritize or offer alternate assistance.
RuneMust tattoo and inscribe runes on their body and equipment. Seeks to mark others and places.
SpectralWill always administer last rites and burns bodies where possible. Seeks to preserve undead where reasonable.
TimeHair turns white. Ages at double normal rate. Cannot sleep; rests by meditation.
WarMust draw blood if drawing a weapon. Must always wear medium or heavy armour, or carry enough weight to remain encumbered. Gains Heavy Armour Proficiency rank 1. War healing may force recipient awry; target gets a MAG check to resist.

Each instance of breaking a taboo takes a year from the end of the Zealot's life and may prevent access to vardaan of that aspect until penance is performed.

Some aspects are opposed, including War/Peace and Nature/Spectral.

Invoking Vardaan

A LIF check is required to successfully invoke a vardaan. If the Zealot fails the LIF check, they may power the vardaan with life force for 1 HP and successfully invoke it. If they do not spend the HP, the vardaan fails.

Zealot vardaan have a base awry chance of zero. Armour can cause vardaan to go awry on very low LIF rolls. If this happens, make a MAG check; on failure, gain corruption. See armour for the awry penalty, remembering that Light and Medium Armour Proficiency reduce awry chance in those armour types.

Each time the Zealot elects to let a vardaan fail, they accrue god's love. This results in demands and requirements from their god.

The Zealot may invoke more than one vardaan per round if they have the actions to do so, but each vardaan can cost 1 HP on a failed LIF check.

The Zealot can only have one vardaan of each level active at a time. Vardaan that require sustain need at least a move action each round to sustain. The Zealot can spend a move action or primary action each round to sustain a second vardaan, leaving only reactions and free actions available. Some vardaan specify different sustain requirements.

Healing vardaan allow recovery and additional HP, but cost the target a fatigue level. The caster may choose to take the fatigue level instead of a single target. Targets that cannot gain strain or fatigue cannot benefit from magical healing.

Healing vardaan are usually Peace or War. Peace healing pours water on the wound, blows it away, and heals with cool effervescence. War healing makes the hands glow red and seals wounds with hot energy.

Vardaan Access

Some vardaan improve for each 8 additional Zealot levels beyond their minimum level requirement. These improvements are detailed in each vardaan.

Zealots have access to Vardaan or prayer wishes. Mages have spells and Varlocks have incantations. Each class can only use magic listed for that class unless the magic is also listed for their class and they meet its requirements.

Vardaan LevelCount
111
210
39
411
510
69
79
89
910
107
118
129

Holy Seals

A holy seal can store a vardaan and sustain its effect, giving a permanent aura or personal effect. Vardaan that can be held as seals are specified. When struck for damage, the Zealot can elect to break a seal to reduce the damage by D12.

The Holy Sigil ability increases the number of seals that can be maintained simultaneously. Rune spells are typically holy seals.

Level Progression

LevelHPAbilitiesTotal RanksXPDeflectCONAGLMAGWILSDFLIF
1D66620+2+0+1+1+2+4
2D6672220+2+1+1+1+2+4
3D6794520+3+1+2+2+3+5
4D67109020+3+2+2+2+3+5
5D671115020+4+2+3+3+4+6
6D671221620+4+3+3+3+4+6
7D681328220+5+3+4+4+5+7
8D681434819+5+4+4+4+5+7
9D681541419+6+4+5+5+6+7
10191748019+6+5+5+5+6+8
11191854619+7+5+6+6+7+8
12191961219+7+6+6+6+7+8
13192067819+7+6+7+7+7+9
141102174419+8+7+7+7+8+9
151102281018+8+7+7+7+8+9
161102387618+8+7+8+8+8+10
171112594218+9+8+8+8+9+10
1811126100818+9+8+8+8+9+10
1911127107418+9+8+9+9+9+11
2011128114018+10+9+9+9+10+11
2111229120618+10+9+9+9+10+11
2211230127217+10+9+10+10+10+11
2311231133817+11+10+10+10+11+12
2411333140417+11+10+10+10+11+12
2511334147017+11+10+11+11+11+12
2611335153617+11+11+11+11+11+12
2711336160217+12+11+11+11+12+13
2811437166817+12+11+11+11+12+13
2911438173416+12+11+12+12+12+13
3011439180016+12+12+12+12+12+13
3111541186616+13+12+12+12+13+14
3211542193216+13+12+12+12+13+14
3311543199816+13+12+13+13+13+14
3411544206416+13+13+13+13+13+14
3511645213016+14+13+13+13+14+15
3611646219615+14+13+13+13+14+15

Class Skills

Zealots learn and invoke vardaan through their chosen aspects rather than choosing class skills.